Brachytron 13: 47-54, 2010 47 Participants of the Symposium on Monitoring Dragon�Lies in Europe in Wageningen (2008) (Foto: J

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Brachytron 13: 47-54, 2010 47 Participants of the Symposium on Monitoring Dragon�Lies in Europe in Wageningen (2008) (Foto: J 40 jaar libellenonderzoek in Nederland Samenwerken voor libellen E.J. Ruiter, R.M.J.C. Kleukers & T.J. Verstrael Inleiding en de studie van libellen in brede zin, EIS is Sinds de oprichting van de Nederlandse primair verantwoordelijk voor opslag, beheer Vereniging voor Libellenstudie (NVL) en publicatie van de verspreidingsgegevens op 1 maart 1997 bestaat er een nauw en De Vlinderstichting richt zich vooral op samenwerkingsverband met de European bescherming van en communicatie over libellen. Invertebrate Survey - Nederland (EIS) en Deze rolverdeling is niet strikt zwart-wit: de De Vlinderstichting. Deze samenwerking partijen gunnen elkaar regelmatig meer ruimte is niet verwonderlijk, aangezien de drie waar dat gewenst is. Dat voedt een vruchtbare genoemde instellingen zich bezighouden met samenwerking, wat geïllustreerd kan worden dezelfde diergroep: libellen. EIS houdt zich aan de hand van gezamenlijke publicaties en daarnaast bezig met alle insecten en andere activiteiten en het gezamenlijke bestand. ongewervelden van pissebedden tot loopkevers. De Vlinderstichting hield zich aanvankelijk alleen Publicaties bezig met dagvlinders, maar daar werden in de Sinds de oprichting van de NVL staan libellen bij loop van haar inmiddels 25-jarig bestaan ook een gestaag groeiend aantal natuurliefhebbers nachtvlinders en libellen aan toegevoegd. In het in de belangstelling. Een belangrijke rol daarbij begin werkte de NVL als een soort werkgroep is weggelegd voor de ‘Veldgids Libellen’, van EIS en De Vlinderstichting, maar die tijd geschreven door Frank Bos en Marcel ligt al weer enige tijd achter ons. De NVL is Wasscher (1997) en uitgegeven door de KNNV. inmiddels een volwaardige partner. Voorheen was libellenstudie voorbehouden aan De drie partijen zijn gezamenlijk eigenaar van het een bescheiden clubje kenners, voornamelijk Landelijk Bestand Libellen. Veel medewerkers (oud-)jeugdbonders. Zij waren voor de van EIS en De Vlinderstichting zijn lid van de determinatie aangewezen op het boek ‘Libellen NVL waardoor ‘de lijnen kort zijn’ en er onderling van Nederland’ (GEIJSKES & VAN TOL, 1983) en veel contact is. Binnen het bestuur van de NVL is buitenlandse literatuur. Met het verschijnen de waarnemingencoördinator de contactpersoon van de veldgids kwam er in 1997 voor het eerst naar EIS en De Vlinderstichting. een praktisch overzicht beschikbaar van alle in In dit artikel wordt besproken hoe de drie ons land voorkomende soorten, met duidelijke organisaties betrokken zijn bij de verschillende beschrijvingen, verspreidingskaarten en foto’s. facetten van het Nederlandse libellenwerk en op Dit gaf een enorme impuls aan vele nieuwe welke wijze samenwerking plaatsvindt. libellenliefhebbers. Nadat er van de eerste vier uitgaven 10.000 exemplaren over de toonbank Terugblik waren gegaan is er in 2008 een vijfde (!) Terugblikkend over tien jaar kan worden volledig herziene druk verschenen. Hier is Weia vastgesteld dat de onderlinge samenwerking Reinboud als derde auteur aan verbonden. altijd goed is verlopen, zowel op bestuurlijk niveau Het meest toonaangevende voorbeeld van als op de werkvloer. Dat is mede het gevolg van de samenwerking is de uitgave ‘Libellen in duidelijke afspraken over welke organisatie welke Nederland’ (NVL, 2002). Dit standaardwerk rol in de samenwerking oppakte. De NVL houdt is het product van een goede samenwerking zich bezig met het verzamelen van gegevens waarbinnen vertegenwoordigers van EIS, 46 Brachytron 13: 47-54, 2010 47 Participants of the symposium on monitoring dragon�lies in Europe in Wageningen (2008) (Foto: J. Kok). Figuur 1. Deelnemers aan het symposium over monitoring van libellen in Europa in Wageningen (2008). De Vlinderstichting en NVL in de redactie in te zetten wordt in toenemende mate benut. zitting hadden. De presentatie van het Zo wordt er bij EIS gewerkt aan een Europese boek eind 2002 in Naturalis (Leiden) kan verspreidingsatlas en wordt er vanaf 2008 bij als een hoogtepunt in de geschiedenis van EIS met medefinanciering van de Europese georganiseerd libellenonderzoek in Nederland Unie gewerkt aan een Europese Rode Lijst worden beschouwd. Vanwege het grote aantal libellen volgens de criteria van de International waarnemingen dat sindsdien door vele mensen Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). is verzameld, werd besloten om een actualisatie In de zomer van 2007 en 2008 werden van de verspreidingsatlas uit te geven, in de internationale libellenkampen gehouden in vorm van een themanummer van Brachytron respectievelijk Roemenië en Sardinië. Deze (BOUWMAN ET AL., 2008). Ook de themanummers kampen werden mede door EIS georganiseerd ‘Dragonflies of Turkey’ (NVL, 2006) en ‘Noordse en bezocht door leden van de NVL. Het kamp Winterjuffer (Sympecma paedisca)’ (NVL, leverde een bijdrage aan de totstandkoming van 2007), zijn goede voorbeelden van gezamenlijke een Europese verspreidingsatlas. publicaties. Onderzoek Europese expansie De Vlinderstichting heeft de afgelopen jaren Nu Europa steeds belangrijker wordt op het diverse onderzoeksprojecten uitgevoerd gebied van natuurbescherming, weten de drie met financiering van provincies, het Rijk en instanties elkaar ook te vinden. Zo werd op natuurbeschermingsorganisaties. Voorbeelden 19 september 2004 in Kranenburg een Duits- hiervan zijn het onderzoek naar de ecologie Nederlands symposium over libellenstudie en van de Speerwaterjuffer (Coenagrion -bescherming georganiseerd door de NVL en hastulatum) (KETELAAR, 2001), het onderzoek De Vlinderstichting. De belangrijkste bijdragen naar het voorkomen en de biotoopeisen van van dit symposium zijn in Brachytron 12 (1) Bosbeekjuffer (Calopteryx virgo) en Gewone gepubliceerd. In het kader van haar 25-jarig bronlibel (Cordulegaster boltonii) in Nederland bestaan organiseerde De Vlinderstichting in (Groenendijk, 2002) en een studentenonderzoek juni 2008 een Europees symposium over de naar het gezamenlijk voorkomen van Noordse monitoring van libellen. EIS verzorgde een deel witsnuitlibel (Leucorrhinia rubicunda) en van het programma. Beide symposia verliepen Venwitsnuitlibel (L. dubia) (SCHUT & KOOPS, zeer succesvol en gaven aanleiding voor het 2004). Dergelijke projecten dragen bij aan de organiseren van vergelijkbare bijeenkomsten ontwikkeling van nieuwe kennis over soorten, in de toekomst. Ook de mogelijkheden om de in relatie tot de duurzame instandhouding Nederlandse kennis meer op Europees niveau van populaties. Behalve onderzoek in het 48 Brachytron 13: 47-54, 2010 49 Opening of de Wyldemerk, the �irst dragon�ly reserve in the Netherlands (2007) (Foto: J. Bouwman). Figuur 2. Opening van het eerste libellenreservaat in Nederland: de Wyldemerk (2007). veld zijn gegevens uit het gezamenlijke Bescherming waarnemingenbestand hierbij onmisbaar. Voor een effectieve bescherming van libellen zijn Naast onderzoek dat direct gekoppeld is aan de ten minste drie zaken nodig: het inzamelen van bescherming van specifieke soorten, werkt De verspreidingsgegevens, het beschikbaar maken Vlinderstichting sinds 1997 ook aan het Landelijk van kennis over de verspreiding en ecologie Meetnet Libellen, in nauwe samenwerking met en het actief aanbieden van deze kennis aan het Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS). terreinbeherende organisaties en de overheid. Doel van dit meetnet is om de populatietrends De NVL, EIS en De Vlinderstichting vullen elkaar van de Nederlandse libellensoorten op een op deze punten uitstekend aan. gedegen manier te volgen, waardoor de Door het gezamenlijke optreden hebben libellen vooruitgang of achteruitgang van een soort de afgelopen jaren een stevige plek gekregen direct kan worden opgemerkt. Aan het Landelijk in de Nederlandse natuurbescherming. Dat Meetnet Libellen werken tientallen mee, die is enerzijds te danken aan de Europese jaarlijks de libellen langs vaste routes tellen. Habitatrichtlijn, waardoor een grote impuls is Een belangrijk deel van deze tellers bestaat uit gegeven aan de kennis over het voorkomen NVL-leden. van soorten die op Europese schaal beschermd Eind 2007 werd een onderzoeksproject naar de zijn, zoals de Groene glazenmaker (Aeshna ecologie van de Noordse winterjuffer afgerond. viridis) en de Gevlekte witsnuitlibel (Leucorrhinia Dit project is door NVL-leden getrokken en heeft pectoralis). Anderzijds is er bij regionale aangetoond dat er met gericht onderzoek in overheden, natuurbeschermende organisaties teamverband en met betrekkelijk eenvoudige en agrariërs veel draagvlak ontwikkeld voor hulpmiddelen veel nieuwe kennis kan worden de bescherming van libellensoorten die op gegenereerd. Hopelijk vormt dit een goede landelijke schaal kwetsbaar zijn. Dit heeft inspiratiebron om soortgelijk onderzoek ook onder andere geleid tot de verschijning van voor andere soorten op te pakken. Dat hoeft landelijke soortbeschermingsplannen voor niet enkel betrekking te hebben op specifieke Groene glazenmaker (DE JONG & VERBEEK, 2002) soorten, maar kan ook ingaan op een specifiek en Hoogveenglanslibel (Somatochlora arctica) thema als bijvoorbeeld de gevolgen van (KETELAAR ET AL., 2005; GROENENDIJK & BOUWMAN, klimaatverandering op libellen. 2008) en regionale soortbeschermingsplannen voor Donkere waterjuffer (Coenagrion armatum) 48 Brachytron 13: 47-54, 2010 49 (BOUWMAN & RUITER, 2004), Speerwaterjuffer PR en educatie (TERMAAT, 2006) en Gewone bronlibel (TERMAAT & Met name De Vlinderstichting timmert hard aan GROENENDIJK, 2005). Verschillende voorbeelden de weg voor wat betreft educatieve projecten. tonen aan dat libellen al daadwerkelijk hebben Dat gebeurt al structureel in iedere uitgave geprofiteerd
Recommended publications
  • From Indo-European Dragon Slaying to Isa 27.1 a Study in the Longue Durée Wikander, Ola
    From Indo-European Dragon Slaying to Isa 27.1 A Study in the Longue Durée Wikander, Ola Published in: Studies in Isaiah 2017 Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Wikander, O. (2017). From Indo-European Dragon Slaying to Isa 27.1: A Study in the Longue Durée. In T. Wasserman, G. Andersson, & D. Willgren (Eds.), Studies in Isaiah: History, Theology and Reception (pp. 116- 135). (Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies, 654 ; Vol. 654). Bloomsbury T&T Clark. Total number of authors: 1 General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Read more about Creative commons licenses: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 LIBRARY OF HEBREW BIBLE/ OLD TESTAMENT STUDIES 654 Formerly Journal of the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series Editors Claudia V.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dragon Prince by Laurence Yep a Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale
    Cruchley’s Collection Diana Cruchley is an award-winning educator and author, who has taught at elementary and secondary levels. Her workshop are practical, include detailed handouts, and are always enthusiastically received. Diana Cruchley©2019. dianacruchley.com The Dragon Prince by Laurence Yep A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale A poor farmer with seven daughters is on his way home from his farm when a dragon seizes him and says he will eat him unless one of his daughters marries him. Seven (who makes money for the family with her excellent embroidery) agrees and they fly away to a gorgeous home, wonderful clothes, a great life…and he reveals he is a prince in disguise. She misses her home, and while there, Three, who is jealous, pushes her in the river and steals her identity. Three is rescued by an old lady and uses her wonderful sewing skills to make clothes and shoes they can sell in the market. The prince, realizing something is wrong, seeks his real bride and finds her because he sees her embroidery in the market. Happy ending all around – except for Three. Lawrence Yep, Harper Collins, ©1999, ISBN 978-0064435185 Teaching Ideas Art There are some nice Youtube instructions on “how to draw a Chinese dragon” that your students would enjoy learning. I liked the one by Paolo Marrone. Lawrence Yep He doesn’t have a website, but there is an interview of Lawrence Yep on line. He has written 60 books and won 2 Newberry awards. He also writes science fiction for adolescent readers.
    [Show full text]
  • Dragons and Serpents in JK Rowling's <I>Harry Potter</I> Series
    Volume 27 Number 1 Article 6 10-15-2008 Dragons and Serpents in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series: Are They Evil? Lauren Berman University of Haifa, Israel Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons Recommended Citation Berman, Lauren (2008) "Dragons and Serpents in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series: Are They Evil?," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 27 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol27/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To join the Mythopoeic Society go to: http://www.mythsoc.org/join.htm Mythcon 51: A VIRTUAL “HALFLING” MYTHCON July 31 - August 1, 2021 (Saturday and Sunday) http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-51.htm Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 - August 1, 2022 http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm Abstract Investigates the role and symbolism of dragons and serpents in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, with side excursions into Lewis and Tolkien for their takes on the topic. Concludes that dragons are morally neutral in her world, while serpents generally represent or are allied with evil.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Study Between Chinese and Western Dragon Culture in Cross-Cultural Communication Lina Yuan and Yunling Sun*
    Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 517 Proceedings of the 6th Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2020) A Comparative Study Between Chinese and Western Dragon Culture in Cross-Cultural Communication Lina Yuan and Yunling Sun* College of Humanities and Sciences of Northeast Normal University * Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT This paper compared the differences between Chinese and Western “dragon” culture and emphasizes that cross- cultural communication should focus on contrast and comparison between heterogeneous cultures. Through the detailed analysis of the origins, cultural connotations, and symbolic meanings of Eastern and Western dragons, as well as their cultural development, we attempt to find a reasonable solution to reduce adverse effects of cultural differences and promote cross-cultural communication. Keywords: Comparative study, Cross-cultural communication, Dragon culture, Cultural difference. 1. INTRODUCTION 2. OVERVIEW OF CHINESE AND Chinese culture has a long history and rich cultural WESTERN DRAGON content. In the various traditional Chinese culture, the dragon culture always plays an important role. Dragon 2.1. The Comparative History of the is a symbol of China. The Chinese nation is called the Development of Chinese and Western Dragon “country of the dragon” and the Chinese are known as We assume that the Chinese dragon and the Western the “dragon’s descendants”. Because dragon plays an dragon were produced at about the same time. The important role in Chinese traditional culture, it should birthplace of the Chinese dragon was Babylon was be valued and promoted in the process of cross-cultural based on the spread of the legend of the Tiamat (5000 communication.
    [Show full text]
  • Tolkien's Japonisme: Prints, Dragons, and a Great Wave
    University of Wollongong Research Online Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) - Papers Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) 2013 Tolkien’s Japonisme: Prints, Dragons, and a Great Wave Michael Organ University of Wollongong, [email protected] Publication Details Organ, M. 2013, 'Tolkien’s Japonisme: Prints, Dragons, and a Great Wave', Tolkein Studies, vol. 10, pp. 105-122. Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Tolkien’s Japonisme: Prints, Dragons, and a Great Wave Abstract The original September 1937 George Allen & Unwin edition of The oH bbit features artwork by J.R.R. Tolkien along with an accompanying dust jacket. This latter work is a modern, stylized graphic design composed of a not entirely symmetrical view of a Middle-earth landscape (night to the left, day to the right), with the Lonely Mountain rising in the distant center, flanked by steeply sloped, snow-covered Misty Mountains and in the foreground Mirkwood’s dense, impenetrable forests. Additional features include a crescent moon, the sun, a dragon, eagles, a lake village, and a rapier-like path—a straight road— heading toward a darkened, megalithic trapezoidal door at the base of the mountain.1 The runes which form the border read: “The oH bbit or There and Back Again, being the record of a year’s journey made by Bilbo Baggins; compiled from his memoirs by J.R.R. Tolkien and published by George Allen & Unwin.” Keywords japonisme, prints, dragons, tolkien, great, wave Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Organ, M.
    [Show full text]
  • Fighting Dragons and Monsters: Heroic
    INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY & INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY, YEREVAN EIGHTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY FIGHTING DRAGONS AND MONSTERS: HEROIC MYTHOLOGY PROGRAM AND ABSTRACTS May 24-26, 2014 Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia Conference Venues: Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran) & University Guest House PROGRAM SATURDAY, MAY 24 Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran) 53 Mashtots Avenue, Yerevan 10:00 – 10:20 PARTICIPANTS REGISTRATION 10:20 – 10:30 OPENING ADDRESS ARMEN PETROSYAN Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Yerevan, Armenia SATURDAY MORNING SESSION CHAIR: ARMEN PETROSYAN 10:30 – 11:00 YURI BEREZKIN Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Saint Petersburg, Russia SERPENT THAT CLOSED SOURCES OF WATER AND SERPENT THAT DEVOUR NESTLINGS OF GIANT BIRD: ASSESSMENT OF THE AGE OF THE EURASIAN TRADITION BASED ON COMPARISON WITH AMERICAN DATA 11:00 – 11:30 JESPER NIELSEN CHRISTOPHE HELMKE The Institute for Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark BATTLING THE GREAT BIRD: HEROES AND CREATION MYTHS IN PRE-COLUMBIAN MESOAMERICA 11:30 – 12:00 Coffee Break 12:00 – 12:30 PAOLO BARBARO EPHE, France INSPIRATION IN COMPARISON: REFLECTIONS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE EXISTING INTERPRETATIONS OF THE JAPANESE MYTH OF SUSANOO FIGHTING THE DRAGON 12:30 – 13:00 HITOSHI YAMADA Tohoku University, Japan HERO’S SECRET: “DONKEY’S EARS” LEGENDS IN EURASIA AND THEIR DIFFUSION TO EAST ASIA 2 13:00 – 13:30 KAZUO MATSUMURA Wako University, Japan HEROIC SWORD GOD: A POSSIBLE EURASIAN ORIGIN OF JAPANESE MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIF 13:30 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 –16:00 Excursion to the collection of Matenadaran SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSION CHAIR: LEVON ABRAHAMIAN 16:00 – 16:30 ROBERT MILLER The Catholic University of America, USA BAAL, ST.
    [Show full text]
  • MFA ILP 12/17/13 Catherine Ho Critical Seminar Thesis Views of A
    MFA ILP 12/17/13 Catherine Ho Critical Seminar Thesis Views of a Mythical Beast In an effort to contrast and analyze symbolism cross­culture, I focused on the differences of Eastern and Western perspective on one of the most common and powerful mythical creatures ­ the Dragon. To start with, the Dragon is seen as a creature of evil in Europe, it was a toxic creature, a great treasure hoarder and a destroyer. This negative connotation may have stemmed from the labelling of vague references of evil from the Old testament with ‘draco’. Thus, creating this perpetuating symbol of evil. In Eastern culture, especially for the Chinese, the Dragon symbolizes great power and good luck. “The Emperor of China usually used the dragon as a symbol of his imperial power and strength.”* Nobody would ever dream of killing a dragon for heroic purposes, it was unfathomable. Illustration of a winged dragon from a 1658 edition of Edward Topsell's The History of Four­footed Beasts and Serpents. The Western dragon had a specific set of features such as two legs, bat wings, and looked like a giant lizard that could breath fire. In contrast, there were many varieties of dragons in Chinese culture. In one depiction it had the parts of nine animals. Ming Glazed Terracotta Architectural Sculpture of a Dragon China, 1368 AD to 1644 AD MFA ILP 12/17/13 Catherine Ho Critical Seminar Thesis Views of a Mythical Beast “The people paint the dragon's shape with a horse's head and a snake's tail. Further, there are expressions as 'three joints' and 'nine resemblances' (of the dragon), to wit: from head to shoulder, from shoulder to breast, from breast to tail.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia Milestones Ninth Grade Literature and Composition EOC Assessment Guide
    Georgia Milestones Ninth Grade Literature and Composition EOC Assessment Guide Items 1 through 8 Read the following passage and answer items 1 through 8. Dragon Mythology: East versus West 1 Among the many beasts of mythology, no creature can match the dragon. Descriptions of dragons vary widely, but the creature is usually portrayed as a serpentine, or snakelike, reptile. In most cases, the traditional beliefs and symbols associated with this mythical creature can be divided into two opposing concepts: the benevolent Eastern or Asian dragon versus the malevolent Western or European dragon. 2 The dragon is an ancient symbol. The Sumerians, whose early civilization arose 7,000 years ago in West Asia, developed the first system of writing. Strikingly, one of the things they chose to write about was a dragon. Dragons also appear in China’s earliest myths, and the powerful creatures are revered throughout Asia to this day. Even the Old Testament mentions dragon-like creatures. 3 References to dragons also appear early in Western civilization. The ancient Greeks knew about dragons: in Homer’s epic, the Iliad, the hero Agamemnon carries a shield emblazoned with a dragon. The first great work of English literature, Beowulf, which dates from the 700s, tells how the hero Beowulf kills a fire-breathing dragon. The Vikings of Scandinavia launched their raids against the rest of Europe in longboats with dragon mastheads. Indeed, it is hard to find any culture that does not include dragons in its earliest myths and legends. 4 The prevalence of dragon legends in ancient times leads to an obvious question: Could dragons have actually existed and then become extinct? For centuries, people assumed that was the case, and scientists published detailed reports on dragon anatomy and behavior.
    [Show full text]
  • The Wilderness of Dragons
    Hugvísindasvið The Wilderness of Dragons The reception of dragons in thirteenth century Iceland Ritgerð til M.A. -prófs Robert E. Cutrer September 2012 Háskóli Íslands Íslensku- og menningardeild Medieval Icelandic Studies The Wilderness of Dragons The reception of dragons in thirteenth century Iceland Ritgerð til M.A.-prófs Robert E. Cutrer Kt. 180384-4569 Leiðbeinandi:Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir September 2012 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Scholarship 3 Approaching a Definition 10 Attributes of the Serpent 14 Iconography of Serpents 16 Physiology of the Dragon 20 Psychology of the Dragon 28 The Dragon in Myth 31 A Draconic Initiation 34 A Dragon's Function in Romance 40 Dragons Throughout the Genres 48 Conclusion 52 Works Cited 54 Cutrer 1 Introduction Throughout history, the dragon has always dwelt prominently within the hierarchy of monsters. In thirteenth century Iceland, however, the dragon consists of more than the mere imagining of man; it is a creature that is imbued with centuries of history, biology, theology, and mythology synthesized into an oftentimes wholly logical and other times completely fantastical beast. By tracing the aspects of the dragon not only through its mythic past but also through historical, encyclopedic, and archaeological sources an image arises reflecting all of the forces at work in thirteenth century Iceland; additionally, analyzing the methodology and patterns within the dragon-slayings will show the influence of foreign romances and their synthesis into the cultural motif of the Icelandic dragon. For the motif “dragon” to be comprehensible, the idea must be mutually intelligible within the audience. Kathryn Hume notes, “For supernatural beings to be effective in stories, they must be part of a tradition the audience knows and to which it is conditioned to respond.”1 The idea of the inherent value of the word is addressed by M.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role and Symbolism of the Dragon in Vernacular Saints' Legends, 1200
    THE ROLE AND SYMBOLISM OF THE DRAGON IN VERNACULAR SAINTS' LEGENDS, 1200-1500 BY PATRICIABROWN A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOROF PHILOSOPHY School of English Faculty of Arts The University of Birmingham July 1998 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis looks at the role and function of the dragon in the saint's encounter with the monster in hagiographictexts, written primarily in the vernacular, between 1200 and 1500. Those connotationsaccrued by the dragonwhich are relevantto this thesis are traced from their earliestbeginnings. Although by the middle ages the multi-valencyof the dragon is reducedto one primary symbolic valency, that of evil and significantly, the evil of paganism, the dragon never loses completely its ancient associations and they help to colour its function within the narrative. The symbolic use of the dragon in vernacular saints' lives is generally consistent, althoughallowing for differentdidactic emphases. However,the two legends on which this thesis concentrates are those of St George from Caxton's Golden Legend and St Margaretfrom the KatherineGroup.
    [Show full text]
  • Download (.Pdf)
    Fiat Lingua Title: Srínawésin: Lexicon of Verb Roots and Thesaurus Author: Madeline Palmer MS Date: 04-06-2013 FL Date: 05-01-2013 FL Number: FL-000014-00 Citation: Palmer, Madeline. 2013. Srínawésin: Lexicon of Verb Roots and Thesaurus. In Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred: A Grammar and Lexicon of the Northern Latitudinal Dialect of the Dragon Tongue. FL-000014-00, Fiat Lingua, <http:// fiatlingua.org>. Web. 01 May 2013. Copyright: © 2013 Madeline Palmer. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. ! http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Fiat Lingua is produced and maintained by the Language Creation Society (LCS). For more information about the LCS, visit http://www.conlang.org/ Srínawésin The Language of the Kindred: A Lexicon & Thesaurus of the Northern Latitudinal Dialect of the Dragon Tongue Based on notes written by Howard T. Davis And Organized and Adapted by Madeline Palmer A Lexicon & Thesaurus of the Dragon Tongue Section I: Introduction…………………………………………………….…..……………………………………………………………….3 1.1. Constructing a Dictionary of Srínawésin………………………………………………………………………………..3 1.2. How to Use this Lexicon………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 1.3. A Note of the Derivation of Srínawésin’s Terms for Draconic Phenotypes………………………………4 Section II: Lexicon of Verb Roots…………………………………………..……………………………………………………………10 H……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....10 I…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14 Ł……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14
    [Show full text]
  • Sague 1 Karen Rose Sague Issues in British Literature Professor Buck
    Sague 1 Karen Rose Sague Issues in British Literature Professor Buck Beliles 06 October 2010 The Motivation of Dragons In both the epic of Beowulf and The Hobbit, a major antagonist is the dragon. Both dragons portray typical European dragon characteristics in their appearances: armour-like scales, serpent-like bodies, weapon quality tails, powerful snapping jaws, and piercing knife-like claws. They both utilize flight to spread their path of destruction, and they both breath fire. Both dragons display similar personality traits: affinity for treasure, easily inflamed temper, gratification in destruction, and hatred of everyone and everything aside from themselves. Both dragons seem to have the same motivating factor: that of rage and revenge. It is the differences in the presentation of both creatures that distinctly separate the two dragons and in doing so, vastly change the tone of the story being told. In Beowulf, the dragon is a nameless entity. The focus is directed upon the description of the dragon’s rage and behavior, its animalistic qualities that define the being itself. While we are not given a name, we are told that the dragon is male. This is really as far as the personification of the dragon goes. All other descriptions give insight the animalistic rage that drives his actions. The bestial characteristics of the nameless dragon are shown first when we are told of the dragon’s instinctual awareness that something is amiss in his lair upon his awakening. Sague 2 When the reptile roused himself, fresh strife was born./ He snuffled along the rock (iron-heart!), saw then/ The footprint of his enemy… (Beowulf 59-60).
    [Show full text]